THE OPENING ROUND of the World Rugby Sevens Series kicks off in Dubai this weekend, with Ireland announcing their men’s and women’s squads to travel.
Anthony Eddy, IRFU Director of Women’s and Sevens Rugby, has named two panels of 13 players to feature in the tournaments, which take place on Friday and Saturday.
The men’s team, coached by James Topping, take on South Africa in Pool C on Friday morning (5.32am Irish time), before meetings with Great Britain (9.46am Irish time) and Japan (12.08pm Irish time) later that day.
Their squad features six players who were at this year’s Olympic Games — captain Billy Dardis, Jack Kelly, Mark Roche, Bryan Mollen, Hugo Lennox and Terry Kennedy.
The women, meanwhile, return to World Series action for the first time since February 2020. Lucy Mulhall will captain the team, while 15s stars Béibhinn Parsons, Stacey Flood, Amee Leigh Murphy-Crowe and Eve Higgins are included along with the uncapped Erin King.
Under Eddy and incoming head coach Aiden McNulty, they begin against Fiji in Pool B on Friday morning (5.22am Irish time), ahead of clashes with Great Britain (8.34am Irish time) and Canada (2.07pm Irish time) on Friday. They then face Russia on Saturday (5.44am Irish time).
Both squads are extremely excited to be back on the World Series and Dubai is always a quality tournament and a great experience for the players,” said Eddy.
“The teams will be very eager to perform well over the two weekends of competition and get off to a good start for the Series ahead.”
Ireland men’s 7s squad:
Jack Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Liam Turner (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College RFC)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College RFC) (captain)
Sean Cribbin (Suttonians RFC)
Hugo Lennox (Skerries RFC)
Aaron O’Sullivan (Blackrock College RFC)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College RFC)
Niall Comerford (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Ed Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Jude Postlethwaite (Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
Ireland women’s 7s squad:
Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC)
Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC)
Brittany Hogan (Ballynahinch RFC/Old Belvedere RFC)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar RFC/Railway Union RFC)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)
Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum RFC) (captain)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC)
this pda is getting annoying now
Had reporters in fits of laughter??
Can you tell us the funny thing that happened to cause that? I can’t see it anywhere in the article